Sen. Zach Duckworth

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Minnesota law to explicitly include gift cards as "retail merchandise" under the definition of organized retail theft. It affects retailers (who sell gift cards), law enforcement (who will prosecute these cases), and individuals involved in theft rings targeting gift cards. The key change redefines "retail merchandise" to cover all gift cards (both physical and digital), meaning theft of gift cards will now be treated the same as theft of physical goods under organized retail theft statutes. This update ensures gift card fraud can be prosecuted under existing penalties for organized retail theft starting August 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates two new groups in Minnesota: an Advisory Council on Community Collaboration, Stability, and Preparedness and a Minnesota Common Ground Task Force. The council brings together representatives from local governments, law enforcement, behavioral health, and community organizations to work on preventing civil unrest and improving communication during times of tension. These groups will meet publicly, develop toolkits for community leaders, and submit annual reports to the governor and legislature on their findings and recommendations. The legislation also includes funding to support these efforts and establishes a civil health dashboard to track relevant data.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a trusted contact program for financial services customers in Minnesota to help prevent financial exploitation and fraud. It allows customers to designate a trusted adult to contact the financial institution in emergencies, when the customer cannot be reached, or when fraud or exploitation is suspected. The program also permits financial institutions to voluntarily offer accounts with security features that allow trusted contacts to view account activity and set transaction limits. Financial institutions and trusted contacts are protected from liability if they act in good faith when using the program.

Maddy summaryMinnesota's SF 1119 prohibits websites, apps, software, or programs from allowing users to access tools that alter images or videos to reveal intimate parts (defined as parts covered under Minnesota law) or create realistic depictions of such parts. The law directly affects platform owners who host these tools, making it illegal for them to enable such access, downloads, or use. Violators face civil penalties of at least $500,000 per violation, plus potential triple damages, attorney fees, and injunctive relief for affected individuals. The bill takes effect August 1, 2025, and applies to violations occurring on or after that date.

Maddy summarySF 3969 establishes a new rule requiring schools to ensure no school employee, independent contractor, or volunteer is ever alone with a student during any field trip, including overnight trips. It also amends teacher licensing laws to automatically revoke a teaching license if a licensed educator is convicted of "grooming" (inappropriate behavior to gain a minor's trust), adding this offense to the list of automatic license revocations. The policy takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies directly to all K-12 schools and educators in Minnesota who lead or supervise student field trips. The bill connects field trip safety requirements with stricter licensing consequences for certain offenses involving minors.

Maddy summaryMinnesota Senate File 1961 requires most health insurance plans covering maternity benefits to provide comprehensive coverage for infertility diagnosis, treatment, and standard fertility preservation services (like egg freezing before cancer treatment). It mandates that cost-sharing (copays, deductibles) for these services cannot exceed the level applied to maternity coverage, and prohibits limits on coverage duration or services. The bill applies to MinnesotaCare and medical assistance programs, with the state reimbursing health plans for the additional costs starting January 1, 2026. This directly affects individuals seeking infertility care or fertility preservation, ensuring they face no greater out-of-pocket costs than for maternity services.

Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a felony to force or coerce a pregnant girl under 18 into seeking or obtaining an abortion, defining coercion as a broad range of actions including threats, financial pressure, or exploiting vulnerabilities. It also requires hospitals and clinics to screen patients for signs of human trafficking involving minors and mandates that certain information be displayed at abortion facilities. Additionally, the law creates a new legal cause of action for wrongful death resulting from an abortion and directs the state health commissioner to create rules implementing these measures. The legislation directly affects healthcare providers, law enforcement, and families by establishing stricter penalties and reporting requirements related to minors and reproductive health.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides legal protection for racing facilities in Minnesota against nuisance lawsuits filed by neighboring property owners, provided the racing facility existed before the neighbor purchased or built their property. It defines a racing facility as any location where competitive vehicle races occur and establishes a five-mile radius around the facility as the relevant area for determining immunity. The legislation also prevents local governments from passing rules that would conflict with these immunity protections, while maintaining that facilities must still follow all environmental and health and safety laws. These protections would take effect on August 1, 2026, and apply to legal cases started on or after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the issuance of state bonds to raise up to $850,000 for replacing two retaining walls along the south side of Klamath Trail in Lakeville. The funds will be used to demolish the existing walls and construct new ones, including necessary site preparation. The money will be distributed as a grant to the city of Lakeville through the commissioner of natural resources. This measure is a capital investment project designed to improve infrastructure in a specific area of the city.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates state funding to support a study on lead exposure within Dakota County. The funds will be provided to Dakota County Public Health to investigate sources of lead emissions and assess their impact on residents, including children and pregnant women. The study is authorized to examine air and water quality standards and recommend steps to reduce health risks from lead exposure. Additionally, the state health commissioner may share de-identified health data to assist the county in conducting this research.